John 20.21 defines the Christian destiny, as the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.
Jesus, God, left His message and work of reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus the resurrected Savior, in the hands of His followers.
What are Christians supposed to give their lives to? Making disciples. How are Christians supposed to do this work? As Jesus did. What does this look like? We are to live as Jesus lived while He lived with us on the earth. How did Jesus live? Simply, humbly and purposefully.
Jesus lived simply. He did not give His best talents to accumulating worldly treasure. Instead, Jesus worked for treasure that never wore out where moth and rust could not destroy nor thieves steal. Certainly there were needs like food, clothing and shelter but those are easily taken care of simply by showing up and putting up a day’s labor while not forgetting the more important things.
Jesus made time with God in the early morning and at the end of the day because He was not so busy working for those things that cannot be taken to heaven. Nothing we accumulate in this world will go with us but it will keep us from being most productive in the work of God.
Jesus lived humbly. The most amazing reality to me about God’s life on earth was that for nearly all of it, 30 of His 33 years, no one knew He was here. When God came He came obscurely, unobtrusively and humbly beginning as an infant child.
Certainly there was initial fan fare with the angels and shepherds followed by some neat gifts by foreign kings but after that it was a life lived without notice or recognition that God was alive and well and living among us. Since Jesus lived simply He was able to live humbly.
When I am not pursuing the world’s treasure I am not pursuing the world’s titles. Money and power are two sides of the same coin. Both of these pursuits keep us from making God and His work first in our lives. Working to become the boss takes time and sacrifice leaving me little left over for serving, giving and surrendering to the will of God as my first priority.
Finally, Jesus lived purposefully. Jesus came only to do the will of His Father in heaven. Jesus came not to be served but to serve and to give His life so that others could live. This is our way for fulfilling His purpose.
We serve people in humility so that they experience Jesus through us in order to become attracted to Jesus for their own salvation. We give away our lives by focusing on people and their need for a Savior then doing everything we can to make that connection happen.
The state of the world is a reflection on the effectiveness of God’s people to live God’s way engaged in God’s work. It is apparent that too many Christians are consumed with the accumulation of things and titles that will have no relevance 1000 years from now.
God’s work done God’s way is eternally rewarded. How are we living and what are we living for?
